Cherry Blossoms

The cherry blossoms in D.C. are a big deal--more than a million people visit each year to view the trees in bloom.  Because the blooms last for only a couple of weeks, timing can be problematic.  To help alleviate this problem, there is a designated person with the National Park Service who monitors the trees on a daily basis during bloom season in an effort to predict the precise window in which these trees will bloom. 

The trees themselves have an interesting history.  In1912 three-thousand cherry trees were given to the city of Washington, D.C. by Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo.  First Lady Helen Herron Taft and Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador, planted the first two trees from Japan on the north bank of the Tidal Basin.  In 1981, the gift was returned, so to speak, when Japanese horticulturists were given cuttings from the trees in D.C. to replace cherry trees in Japan that had been destroyed in a flood. 

Because so many people come to see the trees each year, the area around the tidal basin can get overrun with people.  In an effort to avoid the masses, we opted for a sunrise viewing.  The time just before the sun breaks the horizon is also supposed to be one of the best times to take photographs.  When we arrived it was mostly just photographers, runners, and locals with their dogs.  By the time we left, however, the tour buses were rolling in.  Cooper and I found a grassy spot to enjoy our breakfast and admire the blooms while Ryan went to work as the family photographer.  

Everyone talks about how gorgeous the cherry blossoms are and they really lived up to the hype.  Seeing all those trees in bloom at once was nothing short of breathtaking.  I hope the photos do them justice.

- S